Bottled water is a growing industry in the United States, but the guidelines monitoring its quality are very different than those monitoring tap water. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled water, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates municipal water. Surprisingly, the FDA's standards provide less strict testing requirements. Bottled water is often dirtier than you think and much more expensive than tap water.
NRDC Study
In 1999, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) completed a four-year study on bottled and municipal water regulations and quality and found that bottled water is more likely to contain fecal bacteria such as E. coli and leachates from industrial sources. Moreover, approximately 25 percent of bottled water sold is just bottled tap water, and as much as 40 percent uses tap water as a source.
Municipal Water
Municipal water, regulated by the EPA, has strict testing requirements. Municipalities are required to test their water four times as often as bottled water companies, as regulated by the FDA. In addition, municipalities must use government-certified labs to conduct their tests. This is not the case for bottled water companies.
In 1999, NRDC found that 18 of 103 bottled water brands exceeded minimum microbacteria levels. More stringent filtering and treatment is required of municipalities than bottled water companies. However, municipal water is treated with chlorine and fluorine, both chemicals highly toxic in large doses.
Environmental Considerations
Drinking bottled water is also highly inefficient. The packaging and transport of the product requires enormous volumes of oil and creates unnecessary waste. The most reliable form of clean water, from an environmental perspective, is filtered water. Filters remove chlorine and fluorine and may reduce other unwanted additions to the water supply. Reusing a portable drinking container, refilled with filtered water from municipal sources, provides the safest water to drink.
Testing
Municipal water is typically tested more than three times a day for regulated substances and pollutants, including bacteria. Bottled water companies are required to test their end product only once a week. Municipal water is tested at least quarterly for chemical contaminants, whereas bottled water companies need to test only annually.
Packaging
The plastic bottled water is packaged and can leach carcinogens into the water it contains. This is true for all foods packaged in plastic, and these substances (such as phthalate) can be passed into foods with increased concentrations when heating or cooking in the microwave.
Enforcement
Municipal water is regulated with a public "right to know." If a municipal water supply exceeds EPA mandates for any contaminant, the public is notified and the municipal standards enforced. This is not the case for bottled water. Also, municipalities are required to provide consumers with detailed reports regarding the water in the home. Bottled water companies have no such requirement.
Conclusion
The bottom line is, if you're a bottled water junkie, you are likely drinking more contaminants and harming the environment more than if you filtered your own water. Brita and Pur filters are adequate. There are also companies that offer commercial filters. Many supermarkets now carry such filters, checked by the companies, that filter the already regulated municipal water to remove the unwanted chlorine and fluorine. Reusing a heavy plastic or metal container and refilling as needed is often the best, cheapest way to drink purer water than what is otherwise available on the market.
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